Game Guide: Learn the Exciting Game of Roulette in Minutes
Roulette is arguably the most popular casino table game, and it’s easy to see why. Despite being one of the oldest casino games, said to have its first recognizable version in the late 1700s, it’s also an easy game to learn as you’ll see. The game is beginner-friendly with simple rules and an easy-to-understand layout. As a player, your goal is simple—predict where the roulette ball will rest after the wheel stops spinning to win.
In this quick guide, you’ll learn how to play roulette online. We’ll also explain the layout of the game (the roulette table, wheel, and variants) and finish up with some tips to get you started.
How to Play Online Roulette in Five Easy Steps
Thanks to the game’s popularity, roulette easily transitioned from being played at brick-and-mortar casinos to online. New casino sites that came up added multiple variations of roulette so that players could play them online. Now, roulette is one of the most popular categories of online casino games.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to playing roulette online:
- Choose a trustworthy online roulette site
Your first step is finding online roulette sites you can trust to give you a seamless gaming experience. Look for sites that are secure, credible, and powered by respected game developers.
- Select a roulette game and place bets
Once you’ve signed up, head to the game’s section and choose the roulette version you want to play. Set your bet size and place chips on the bet options you want.
- Spin the wheel to start playing
In a land-based casino, the dealer would spin the wheel in one direction and the ball in the opposite direction. But since you’re playing online, you’ll press the ‘Spin’ button and the virtual wheel will start spinning.
- Wait for the outcome
The wheel spins for a short while until it stops, and the roulette ball settles in one of the pockets. The outcome is completely random, as it is determined by a random number generator, better known as RNG.
- Payouts
All winning bets are paid out based on the odds of the wager as the next round is set to begin.
Roulette Game Explained
Whenever you open any roulette game, you’ll notice two components—a roulette table and a wheel. All bets are placed on the roulette table and the wheel is usually where the action takes place and results are determined. So, we’ll take a closer look at how each component functions.
- The Roulette Table
Once you open the game, the rectangular section you see with numbers, groups of numbers, and colors is the roulette table. It is here where all bets are placed, and the betting section is categorized into inside bets and outside bets.
Inside bets fall in the area with the numbers 1 to 36, which are marked either red or black. In this section, players bet on specific numbers or a small group of numbers with betting options such as straight, split, street, or corner bets. Inside bets are known for their high payouts but low odds of winning.
Outside bets, on the other hand, are placed on the boxes surrounding the inside bets section. Here, you’ll find wagers on large groups of numbers, odd/even, and red/black. Outside bets are a great place to start because of their higher odds of winning even though they have low payouts.
- The Roulette Wheel
The roulette wheel is the other component which is circular with a rotating axle at the center and numbered pockets around it. If you’re playing European roulette, the numbers will run from 0 to 36 with 18 red pockets, 18 black pockets, and a green 0 pocket. For the American roulette version, the wheel will have an additional 00 green pocket.
An interesting thing to know about the wheel is that the numbers aren’t arranged in any particular order. The sequencing of the numbers allows for a balance in low, high, odd, even, red, and black numbers. Another interesting fact about the roulette wheel that leaves a little mystery is if you add all the numbers, the total comes to 666 often known as the “number of the beast.”
Quick Tips to Get You Started
Now that you are familiar with the game, the next step is to give it a try and see whether the roulette wheel will turn into your wheel of fortune. But before you do so, here are a few tips that will save you some pennies and win you a few bucks.
- Play for free first
Most online roulette sites feature a demo or practice option that lets players try the game for free. It’s a good starting point to familiarize yourself with the game before you wager any real money.
- Outside bets are better than inside bets
As mentioned earlier, outside bets might not win you that crazy amount of money, but at least your chances of winning are higher. That’s because they cover a large group of numbers like odd/even (18 numbers), red/black (18 numbers), or ranges like 1st 12, 2nd 12, and 3rd 12.
- Go for European and French Roulette for better odds
European and French roulette have a house edge of 2.7% and 1.35% respectively, which are way lower odds compared to American Roulette at 5.26%.
- Set your betting limit
Lastly, we all know that betting can be fun and one can easily get carried away. So, before playing, plan your bankroll and limit how much you want to spend. Once you hit that limit, call it a day.
